The Vampire's Maid

Part 23. The Vampire's Maid

"So mechanic boy tried to kiss you? Then you saw him with your friend?" Ashley asked, lounging on his bed.

I was lying beside him, my hair fanned out across the red pillows. I loved the feeling of Ashley's body beside mine, our legs pressed against each other. I smiled at his questions, the interest he was showing in the ordinary, soap opera-ish parts of my life.

"That's roughly what happened. And mechanic boy has a name, Ashley."

I felt that I had to stick up for Joe, show that he wasn't totally at fault. After all, in the couple of days following his promise to me, he'd been nothing but loyal to June.

"He's called Joe, right?" He asked.

I smiled, wondering how long he'd known Joe's name but refused to speak it. I couldn't help but hope it was since he'd caught sight of me kissing Joe in the driveway. That seemed so long ago to me now. I couldn't imagine wanting to kiss anyone other than the person lying on the bed beside me.

"I don't think Joe means to hurt anyone. He just wants to have fun for the next couple of years before..." I trailed off, not fully knowing what happened when Goliath classed you as 'too old' to work for him.

Ashley sighed, a slight exhalation of breath that, if I hadn't been listening so hard for his response, I wouldn't have heard.

"What age is it?" I asked, struggling to sound unbothered.

"Twenty." He said quietly. "Twenty is the oldest that I've ever seen a servant live."

I nodded, wanting to broach the subject further but not quite knowing how. His fingers laced with mine and for a second I forgot about my ever nearing death and just focused on the accelerated thrumming of my heart. Ashley unknowingly had this effect on me every time he touched my body. I'd get used to it, I knew, but at that moment it was still amazing to think that he was touching me in a romantic way. Then he murmured a few words that brought my mind hurtling back to the subject at hand.

"I need to help you escape."

"You'd do that?"

"I'm not completely selfish, Elizabeth." He smiled. "I do put your safety above my happiness."

His words sent a warm glow through my stomach that contrasted with the sinking of my heart. Yes, he wanted to protect me, but he obviously didn't like me enough to force me to stay with him. I closed my eyes and pushed away the thoughts telling me that if he really wanted me to, I would stay.

"No. I can't leave the others."

"You mean June and mechanic boy?"

I laughed as he returned to calling Joe by the slightly derogatory name. Considering that Joe called Ashley 'vampire boy' on a regular basis, it only seemed fair that Ashley had his fun too.

"I would drive you away from here, Elizabeth, if I could. But..."

"But your dad would trace it back to you." I finished for him.

He nodded, seeming torn between defying his father and protecting me. I knew that, if I was going to die tomorrow, he wouldn't hesitate. The fact that I still had four more years made both of us hesitate. There was time for calculation, time to plan. I didn't want to escape too quickly because that would mean leaving Ashley. And, stupidly, that thought was almost as painful as a ninety year old vampire murdering me.

"Dane will be dead." I gasped.

"Pardon?" Ashley asked, the calculated look flickering out of his eyes.

"In four years time Dane will be ninety-four. And vampires don't live until that age."

"He'll be replaced, I assume." He did not seem too upset by Dane's demise. "Although, I don't know who would actually want his job. I don't know why he hasn't retired yet!"